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Asian-inspired Crockpot Chicken Drumsticks are slow-cooked until tender and juicy in a marinade of Asian flavors like soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and ginger. This no-pressure, easy-to-make dinner is fully cooked in your slow cooker and then broiled to perfection!
Be sure to try some of our other popular slow cooker meals, like Crockpot Orange Chicken and Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos.
Why We Love This Recipe
This Asian Crockpot Chicken Drumsticks recipe is sure to be a family favorite. It’s not only a great dinner but also perfect for game day munchies!
Asian chicken drumsticks in the slow cooker sounds like a standard dinner, but you can transform it into so much more! Slow cooking is the best way to get a delicious, quality chicken dinner on the table fast.
Drumsticks in the crockpot use a budget-friendly cut of meat and transform it into a flavorful dinner for the entire family. Plus, meat on the bone has more flavor AND while it can be done, it’s pretty tough to mess up!
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
Ingredient Notes
Chicken drumsticks – You can remove the skin or leave it on, it’s really a personal preference. I leave the skin on to keep the chicken nice and juicy while it cooks, then broil at the end to crisp up the skin.
Ginger and garlic – Fresh is best.
How To Make Crockpot Chicken Drumsticks
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Prep chicken: Season chicken legs with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Use sparingly; you can always add more seasoning later. Leave the skin on for the juiciest result; I will show you how to crisp that skin up towards the end of the recipe.
Make the sauce: Combine sauce ingredients – sugar, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, and fresh ginger – and pour over the chicken.
Slow Cook: Arrange the chicken in a 6-quart slow cooker, cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of at least 160℉.
Broil: You can see that even though the chicken is fully cooked, the skin is still pale in color. For crispy skin, broil your chicken until golden. Preheat the broiler, then arrange the cooked chicken drumsticks on a foil lined sheet pan. This is an optional step, but it really adds a finishing touch to the dish.
Thicken the sauce for serving (optional, but delicious): Strain 2 cups of the cooking liquid from the crockpot into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Make a cornstarch slurry and add that to the sauce, whisking vigorously to combine. Once the sauce has thickened, you can serve it with the chicken.
Can You Use Frozen Drumsticks?
While keeping chicken on hand in your freezer is a great idea, I recommend thawing bone-in chicken before cooking. Using frozen, you run the risk of the chicken not cooking all the way through to the center and drying out on the outside. Chicken also could sit at an unsafe temperature, causing bacteria to form.
Serving Suggestions
We usually serve simply with steamed rice and a green veggies with sauce drizzled over them.
Here are some other ideas for side dishes:
- Fried Rice
- Coconut Rice
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Garlic Green Beans
- Napa Cabbage Salad
- Pan Fried Noodles
- Egg Drop Soup
- Vegetable Egg Rolls
They’re also a perfect handheld snack option for game day as part of your finger foods spread. To keep them warm, empty the liquid from the crockpot (use it to make a sauce) and put the legs back in and keep on the warm setting.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
Storage: Leftover chicken legs should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freezer: Cook completely, then place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 4 months.
Reheating: Reheat chicken in the slow cooker or in the microwave. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator first.
Recipe Tips
- Use the Optional Broil Step – Obviously your slow cooker isn’t going to get you that beautiful, crispy, toasty skin that the oven would, but adding a quick step after cooking will! Simply arrange your chicken on a sheet pan and broil. Brush the legs lightly with oil before broiling to give that nice, golden color and crispy texture.
- Other Cuts of Chicken – You can use any cut of chicken with this sauce. The cooking time will vary, so be sure to always cook to an internal temperature of 165℉. Bone-in wings or thighs will take about the same time. For leaner, boneless breasts we recommend cooking on high for about 3 hours and for boneless thighs, about 4 hours.
- Garnish – Enhance the flavor of these chicken legs by garnishing with sesame seeds and sliced green onions for color.
More Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes to Try
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
- Slow Cooker Mexican Beans
- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Sandwiches
- Easy Slow Cooker Chili
- Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs
- Crockpot Chicken Breast
Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds Chicken drumsticks
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes optional
Sauce
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- ½ cup Soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 3 Garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons Freshly chopped ginger
- 2-3 tablespoons Canola oil
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Water
Instructions
- Arrange chicken in 6-quart slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes.
- Combine sauce ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours, or until chicken is cooked through (160-165℉) or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Preheat the broiler and line a sheet pan with foil. Arrange drumsticks on the sheet pan and brush very lightly with canola or vegetable oil. Broil for 2-3 minutes, watching closely to make sure they don't burn.
- Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds if desired. Serve over steamed rice or with your desired side dish.
To thicken the sauce:
- In a small dish, whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Set aside.
- Strain 2 cups of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour half of the cornstarch slurry into the pan and vigorously whisk to combine.
- Bring to a boil and continue whisking over medium-low heat until thickened. If you want it thicker, whisk in more of the cornstarch slurry and continue to simmer until desired thickness is reached.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
DUDE I made this last night… THANK YOU!! Lmao this was DELICIOUS! The meat literally fell off the chicken bone. The sauce turned out *chefs kiss* amazing! Thank you again xo
You are so welcome Ashley! Thank you so much for stopping by.
This recipe is perfect! Super easy and the chicken was falling off the bone. I shredded the chicken for sandwiches for meal prep and all of the chicken is so flavourful. Made the house smell lovely too.
I think I’ll reduce the sugar next time but I really enjoyed it. Thanks a lot!
You are so welcome Jess! Awesome feedback, thanks for stopping by.
Has anyone tried this with dry powdered ginger? I know it’s best if it’s fresh but I have some kids that don’t appreciate fresh. It’s overwhelming for them. I can always sneak the powdered kind and they never notice. If you have used the powder how much did you use?
Hi Susan, While you can use powdered, it will have a different flavor than fresh. That said, it will still be delicious!
Do I put corn starch and oil in sauce and more after if needed
Yes you use all of the ingredients listed under “sauce.”
Can you double this recipe and add another layer of chicken?
You could as long as it fits in your slow cooker.
I made this recipe for wings today. My family ate them all,, The only change I will make is less soy sauce. It was a bit strong for us. Al so the time in our slow cooker is much less’, more like 4 hrs on low even with the wings frozen. I think to make up for less liquid I will add some pineapple juice next time!
Love the feedback Linda! Thanks for stopping by to share.
Incredibly easy & SO delicious! Everyone loved it! This is definitely a keeper!
Thank you for stopping by Bec! (Love the feedback)
Fantastic recipe. Really easy. Really tasty and everyone loves it.